Israel Quote by Jean-Michel Oughourlian
““Friedrich Hacker says: “Many Arab intellectuals…consider the Arab mentality, which attributes to the written word and to speech a more than symbolic importance, a magical importance, as a dangerous national passion and as a sickness. For this mentality, it suffices to say something for there to be no need of doing it. Words do not announce acts and do not prepare them, they replace them.”9””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Social Mind, Jean‑Michel Oughourlian, 1999
He argues that in certain cultures words replace actions, attributing a magical, dangerous significance to speech that can become a societal illness.
In simple terms: Words are sometimes used instead of deeds, seen as powerful but harmful.
Key Takeaway
Balance words with concrete actions.
Themes
culture
language
power
illusion
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- education reform
- social movements
Key Concepts
symbolic importance
national passion
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do words ever substitute for action in your life?
- How can societies shift from rhetoric to deeds?
A Different Perspective
May overgeneralize a diverse region.
![“[Islam] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left for Muslims lies in their observance of the God-made law.” quote by Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/704/abul-a-la-maududi-51903_function_islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislatio_886.jpg)
